14 PRINCIPLES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS ON HOW TO COPE


1 Realize that mental illness is not rare.
2 Learn as much as possible, as soon as possible.
3 Don't blame yourself – it can destroy your chances of coping forever.
4 Seek professional helpers who are effective.
5 Contact a self-help group for families.
6 Accept that mental illness is complex. Our natural instincts can be an unreliable guide. Relatives need training.
7 Get to know the origins of pressures to which family members are subject.
8 Pay special attention to the needs of other members of the family.
9 Remember that unlimited, unconditional self-sacrifice on behalf of someone with a mental illness is fatal to effective caring and coping.
10 Be aware that spending massive amounts of time with the person who has a mental illness can make matters worse.
11 Maintain friendships, activities and hobbies, particularly those that will take you outside the home.
12 Set your sights on appropriate independence for your relative and yourself.
13 Don't be surprised to find that the ability to change and look at things differently distinguishes relatives who can cope from those who can't.
14 Take very good care of yourself.